Base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee

ABSTRACT

The subject invention discloses a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for supporting a golf ball when used in combination with a typical driving range golf mat. The base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee is comprised of a tubular shaft member with a distal end extending upwardly and terminating at its proximal end at its proximal end top surface. The proximal end top surface of the tubular shaft member comprises a plurality of holes oriented around its circumference, from which a multiplicity of bristles or other low-resistance support means are affixed and extend upwardly to provide circular support for a golf ball. The tubular shaft member is received into the top side hole opening of a typical driving range golf mat and has a circumference that is fractionally smaller than that of the opening to assist in the retention of the shaft member in the opening. The low-resistance golf ball support structures extend upwardly above the top surface of the driving range mat and provide little to no resistance to the golf club when the golf ball is struck.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 14/611,054, filed Jan. 30, 2015 titled A BASELESS, LOW-RESISTANCE GOLF MAT TEE.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee to be used in combination with driving range golf mats, like those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,568,980 to Janus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,398 to Kibamoto, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,541 to Martino. These driving range golf mats typically including a hole opening, top surface synthetic turf, pad affixed below the synthetic turf top surface and a specific thickness dimension. More particularly, this invention is directed to a driving range golf mat tee, used when practicing golf shots, that is constructed so as to be inserted and received into the top surface hole opening of a typical driving range golf mat. Said driving range golf mat tee is capable of being retained within said opening without need of a circular base or flange to engage against the under-side surface of the driving range golf mat.

Both avid and recreational golfers utilize driving ranges to practice hitting golf balls. Although the purpose and frequency in which these two types of golfers utilize practice driving ranges may differ, one thing is the same, namely that they both almost exclusively practice on driving range golf mats. The motivation behind this is pretty universal, specifically, golf courses and golf driving ranges desire to keep maintenance costs as low as possible and want to avoid performing unnecessary repairs to grass surfaces.

Currently when a golfer desires to tee up a ball for practicing golf shots on a driving range golf mat, most often, prior art cylindrical rubber tees consisting of circular disc or flange shaped bases are used. Said prior art tees are inserted from the under-side surface of the driving range golf mat through the hole opening in the mat. The prior art cylindrical rubber tees then extend above the top surface of the driving range golf mat by a specific height. There are several disadvantages in using the prior art cylindrical rubber tees with driving range golf mats. One such disadvantage is that the prior art tees require golfers to bend down and reach under the driving range golf mat to lift the mat in order to insert the tee through the hole opening on the under-side surface of the mat. This is necessary as the prior art tee has a circular disc/flange base which engages with the under-side surface of the driving range golf mat and anchors the tee to provide a means of retention when a golf ball is struck off the tee. Another disadvantage of the prior art is that due to its relatively stiff rubber composition, the feel of the impact when striking a golf ball off the tee is unlike that during the normal play of the game. Additionally, when a golf ball is struck off of the prior art tee, an unintended and undesirable ball spin is caused by the physical contact of the golf ball and rubber tee. This again makes the golfer's goal of mimicking shots normally taken while on course virtually impossible. A further disadvantage includes the fact that the prior art tees are only available in selective sizes that are not intended to be modified. This often times results in a golfer having to utilize a prior art tee at an undesirable height, or physically altering or cutting the rubber tee, counter to its intended use, to meet their desired height requirements. The latter detrimentally alters the physical contact surface between the golf ball and rubber tee, often producing even greater undesirable golf ball spin when the golf ball is struck by a golf club.

There has been some effort to develop devices to improve upon the disadvantages noted above. Such efforts can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,403 to Martino, issued Oct. 20, 1992, which discloses a golf mat tee comprising of a base member with a circular disc/flange that engages the under-side surface of the driving range golf mat and allows for insertion of a conventional semi-rigid golf tee into the base. The disadvantages to the Martino disclosure include that the semi-rigid tee must be manually returned to the vertical position after every practice shot by the golfer. Additionally, the structural integrity of the tee after repeated use becomes compromised. Further, the semi-rigid tee requires lifting the driving range golf mat and insertion of the base member into the hole opening on the under-side surface of the golf mat, as to allow the circular disc/flange base to engage the under-side surface of the golf mat in order to provide anchoring of the tee. Lastly, the disclosed tee does not allow for device removal without lifting of the driving range golf mat.

Another effort can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,428,906 B2 to Chloe, issued Dec. 2, 2008, which discloses a flexible golf tee comprising a tee member and base. The tee member being made of a flexible material that allows the tee member to return to an upright position after the tee is hit by a golf ball. One disadvantage of the Chloe disclosure is that with multiple uses, the integrity of the flexible tee member can become compromised resulting in the tee not fully returning to the vertical position and not supporting the golf ball in the desired nature.

Yet another effort can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,828,677 B2 to Steinhobel, issued Nov. 9, 2010, disclosing a driving range golf tee comprising a flange base member, a centrally disposed tubular member and a plurality of flexible fingers extending upwardly and terminating in distal ends which support a golf ball. The main disadvantage to the Steinhobol disclosure is that insertion of the device again requires lifting the driving range golf mat and insertion of the device into the hole opening on the under-side surface of the golf mat, as to allow the circular flange/disc base to engage the under-side surface of the golf mat to anchor the tee. Additionally, the disclosed tee does not allow for device removal without lifting of the driving range golf mat.

Both the insertion and removal of the preceding prior art tees require the lifting of the driving range golf mat by grabbing the underside of the golf mat, which is an activity that is inconvenient, difficult and/or cumbersome to many golfers. Additionally, in lifting the golf mat, the golfer is required to touch the under-side surface of the golf mat, which is almost always wet and dirty.

Despite the existence of such devices and with the foregoing in mind, a need exists for a golf tee that can be used in combination with driving range golf mats; which provides the golfer with the desired feel when striking the golf ball, reduces the amount of improper spin as a result of the golf ball contact with the tee, eliminates the need for the golfer to lift the golf mat every time the tee is to be inserted or removed and eliminates the need to return a tee to an upright position after every shot. The present invention provides such a device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

To resolve the existing disadvantages outlined above, the present invention is directed to a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with driving range golf mats. Said driving range golf mats typically including a hole opening, top surface synthetic turf, pad affixed below the synthetic turf top surface and a specific thickness dimension.

An objective of the invention is to provide a driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat that is capable of repetitive use without risk of breaking, failure, or reduction in structural integrity.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat that provides proper contact and support of a golf ball as to dramatically reduce or eliminate undesired ball spin.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat that mimics the feel a golfer would experience when striking a ball during normal golf course play.

Still another objective of the invention is to provide a base-less driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat that is easy to insert and remove; eliminating the need for a golfer to lift the driving range golf mat for insertion and removal of the tee and soiling their hand with moisture and dirt commonly found on the under-side surface of the golf mat in the process.

To successfully achieve these objectives, the present invention is directed to a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat that includes a solid tubular shaft member that extends upwardly, from its distal to proximal end. The tubular shaft member terminates at the proximal end which includes a proximal end top surface. Said shaft member having a height less than the specific thickness of the driving range golf mat, so as to have the entire shaft member fit within the driving range golf mat hole opening. The preferred height of the tubular shaft member being such that the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface corresponds to the base of the synthetic turf surface. Additionally, said shaft member having a circumference that is fractionally smaller than that of the driving range golf mat hole opening. The proximal end top surface of the tubular shaft member includes a plurality of holes oriented around the outer circumference of the proximal end top surface of the shaft member, wherein a multiplicity of low-resistance support structures are attached and affixed, extending upward to provide circular and angular support for the golf ball.

The solid tubular shaft member is inserted directly into the top surface hole opening of the driving range golf mat so the shaft member is fully hidden inside and protected inside the driving range golf mat hole opening against golf club strikes. As a result of the circumference of the tubular shaft member being fractionally smaller than that of the driving range golf mat hole opening, the driving range golf mat tee is retained in the driving range golf mat hole opening when a golf ball is struck off the tee without additional anchoring means.

The multiplicity of low-resistance support structures extend upward from the plurality of holes on the proximal end top surface of the tubular shaft member. Once inserted into the driving range golf mat hole opening, the tubular shaft member height is such that the proximal end top surface preferably corresponds to the base of the synthetic turf surface allowing only the low-resistance support structures to extend above the top surface of said driving range golf mat. The height of the low-resistance support structures can easily be modified by the golfer to achieve the desired height, by trimming or cutting without affecting golf ball support or contact.

To remove from the driving range golf mat hole opening, the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee is simply lifted upward by the low-resistance support structures, freeing the tee from the driving range golf mat hole opening.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth the certain embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A clear understanding of the key features of the invention summarized above may be obtained through reference to the attached drawings, illustrating the method and system of the invention, although it will be understood that such drawings depict preferred embodiments of the invention and, therefore, are not to be considered as limiting its scope with regard to other embodiments which the invention is capable of contemplating. Accordingly:

FIG. 1. is a front elevated perspective view of the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee displayed in FIG. 1 supporting a golf ball on the low-resistance support structures;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side perspective view of the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee constructed in accordance with the disclosures of the present invention;

FIGS. 4a-4b are side perspective views depicting the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee utilized in combination with a driving range golf mat.

REFERENCE NUMBERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

01 Base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee

10 Tubular shaft member

30 Base of synthetic turf surface

50 Tubular shaft member proximal end top surface

60 Low-resistance support structures

70 Low-resistance support structure proximal ends

80 Plurality of holes on tubular shaft member proximal end top surface

90 Height of low-resistance support structures

100 Height of low-resistance support structures above the top surface of the driving range golf mat

110 Driving range golf mat

120 Top surface of driving range golf mat

130 Under-side surface of driving range golf mat

140 Driving range golf mat hole opening

150 Golf ball

160 Driving range golf mat thickness dimension

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein and are made with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the descriptions disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting the embodiments set forth herein, rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, a front elevated perspective view of a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 designed for use in combination with a driving range golf mat 110 and constructed in accordance with the specification of the present invention is illustrated. The base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 as shown in FIG. 1 provides support of a golf ball 150 through use of low-resistance support structures 60 and support structure proximal ends 70 at the proximal end of said driving range golf mat tee 01. At the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50, the low-resistance support structure proximal ends 70 of the low-resistance support structures 60 extend upwardly from the plurality of holes 80 oriented along the circumference of the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50. The tubular shaft member 10 having a distal end extending away to its proximal end and terminating in the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50. The tubular shaft member 10 although capable of being made of various materials with the desired strength and weight, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tubular shaft member 10 is formed of a material of sufficient strength, density and weight to assist in retention in the retention of the driving range golf mat tee 01 within the driving range golf mat hole opening 140 when the golf ball 150 is struck with a golf club. The low-resistance support structures 60 are affixed and attached into the plurality of holes 80 that are oriented along the circumference on the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50. The low-resistance support structures 60 extend upward from their distal to proximal end and away from the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50, toward the proximal end of the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01, terminating in circularly oriented low-resistance support structure proximal ends 70 providing the necessary support and retention of the golf ball 150.

A driving range golf mat tee of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, disclosing the height 90 of the low-resistance support structures 60 which are designed so as to allow for modification through cutting or trimming by a golfer to adjust the low-resistance support structures 60 to the golfers' desired height 90 during driving range practice. It should be noted that the low-resistance support structures 60 are flexible so as to reduce or eliminate any resistance present when the golf club strikes the golf ball 150.

FIG. 3, illustrates a side perspective view of the driving range golf mat tee 01. As shown, the low-resistance support structures 60 and support structure proximal ends 70 shall provide little to no resistance as the golf club passes through during the striking of the golf ball. This allows the golfer to mimic the ball striking feel that they would experience while on the course, while at the same time eliminating undesirable ball spin caused as a result of the contact between the ball and the tee.

A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 as constructed in accordance with the specification of the present invention as the golfer would utilize it in combination with a driving range golf mat is shown in FIGS. 4a -4 b. FIG. 4a depicts the driving range golf mat 110 that includes a top surface 120, an under-side surface 130, a specific thickness dimension 160 and a golf mat hole opening 140 into which the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat golf tee 01 is inserted, received and retained. Further, FIG. 4a provides directional guidance as to how the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 is to be inserted into the driving range golf mat hole opening 140 on the top surface 120 of the driving range golf mat 110. FIG. 4b , illustrates the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 as it would be utilized in combination with a driving range golf mat 110 as inserted into, received and retained by the golf mat hole opening 140. The tubular shaft member 10 has a circumference that is fractionally smaller than that of the golf mat hole opening 140 and is retained in the golf mat hole opening 140 by frictional and pressure forces when a golf ball 150 is struck from the base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee 01 without any additional anchoring means. The length of the tubular shaft member 10, is less than the specific thickness dimension 160 of the driving range golf mat 110, so as to fit completely and entirely within the driving range golf mat hole opening 140 when inserted and assure no contact is possible between a golf club and the tubular shaft member 10. The preferred height of the tubular shaft member 10 is such that the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50 corresponds to the base of the synthetic turf surface 30. The low-resistance support structures 60 attached and affixed to the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface 50 via the plurality of holes 80 emerge from the driving range golf mat hole opening 140 and extend above the top surface of the driving range golf mat 120. The height of the low-resistance support structures 60 and proximal ends 70 above the surface of the driving range golf mat 100 can be modified by the golfer via cutting or trimming, of the low-resistance support structures 60 and proximal ends 70 to said golfers desired height 100.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described a particular configuration of a base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee, such embodiments are exemplary. While certain embodiments and details have been included herein for purposes of illustrating aspects of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined, in part, in the appended claims. It is understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of this invention. The words “including” and “having,” as used herein, including the claims, shall have the same meaning as the word “comprising.” 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee for use in combination with a driving range golf mat including a hole opening, top surface synthetic turf, pad affixed below the synthetic turf top surface and a specific thickness dimension, said combination comprising: (A) a tubular shaft member extending from its distal to proximal end; (B) a tubular shaft member proximal end terminating in a proximal end top surface; (C) low-resistance support structure distal ends extending upward from the plurality of holes oriented around the circumference of the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface to the proximal end of the low-resistance support structures and driving range golf mat tee upon which a golf ball is rested; wherein, said tubular shaft member is inserted into, received by and extends through the hole opening in said driving range golf mat terminating prior to the top surface of said driving range golf mat with said specific thickness dimension so as to assure no contact is possible between a golf club and the tubular shaft member upon striking of said golf ball; wherein, said low-resistance support structures extend upward from the tubular shaft member proximal end top surface from the inside of the driving range golf mat hole opening above the top surface of said driving range golf mat for receiving and resting of a golf ball thereon.
 2. A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular shaft member circumference is fractionally smaller than that of said driving range golf mat hole opening and comprised of material of sufficient strength, density and weight to assist in retention of said base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee in said driving range golf mat hole opening through frictional and pressure forces upon striking of said golf ball without any additional anchoring means.
 3. A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal ends of said low-resistance support structures, as oriented, provide for circular and upward support for receiving of said golf ball.
 4. A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee as claimed in claim 3, wherein said support structures may comprise of a multiplicity of bristles that will minimize frictional or resistive forces when a golf ball is struck by a golf club while maintaining structural integrity.
 5. A base-less, low-resistance driving range golf mat tee as claimed in claim 4, wherein said support structures are designed so as to allow for modification via cutting or trimming by a golfer to adjust the low-resistance support structures to said golfers' desired height without adversely affecting golf ball support or contact. 